Life, Love, and Irony
by Aisukuri-Mu Studio
Summary: .:E:. Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes it's easy. Other times it's just plain weird. A series of Jackunzel oneshots for Jackunzel week! Day 7: It is Better to Have Loved and Lost than to Never Have Loved At All.
1. Once in a Blue Moon

**Once in a Blue Moon**

Rapunzel giggled as she ducked beneath a low branch, her calloused feet making it all too easy to ignore the stray branches and rocks that littered the ground. This was freedom, she had to remind herself; this was the epitome of self-fulfillment.

She took a deep breath, the scents of nature all melting together into a single, pure entity. From her tower, she was never able to enjoy them to such an extent – from her tower, she was deprived of such niceties.

"Oi, blondie. Where are we going?"

Rapunzel frowned as she turned around, and it was then that she noticed something was off. Jack, who usually was upbeat and curious when she offered to show him new wonders, who was often freezing the ground where he walked without intending to when he was excited—

Well. He wasn't any of that.

"Are…" She swallowed thickly when Jack didn't meet her gaze; instead, he kept his eyes trained on the ground in front of him, his brow furrowed. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Jack glanced up at her and shook his head, as if trying to clear his vision. "Ah, yeah. 'M fine. It's just hot."

Was it? Rapunzel crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow at him, but if he noticed, he paid her no mind. "So, where're we going?" he asked again, stopping next to her.

"…" Rapunzel gave Jack a light shove. He yelped and fell over, crashing against the ground with a groan.

She _knew_ he wasn't feeling well. Rapunzel sighed and knelt next to him, and when his eyes fluttered open, she gave him a stern, reproachful look.

"I know you're more sensitive to the heat than I am, Jack," she said, brushing a loose strand of hair out of her face, "so you can go ahead and say something if it's getting to you."

"No, it's not…" Jack grumbled – he let Rapunzel help him sit up, and then he shook his head. "I'm just not usually _here_ right now."

Rapunzel tilted her head. _"Here?"_ she repeated, confused. "What do you mean?"

"It's the summer solstice." Jack leaned back, propping himself up by his hands alone. "I get really weak on this day every year – so I like to avoid it by going to the southern hemisphere about halfway through spring. Of course, I haven't exactly had the opportunity to leave just yet…"

Rapunzel felt guilt gnaw at her heart, and she plopped onto her knees next to him. "I'm sorry, Jack," she said, playing with the edges of her dress. "I didn't know – I mean, you can go if you want…"

But if he left now, she wouldn't see him again for a while, now, would she? And neither would Hiccup or Merida, because while they both could command large fleets of ships, they wouldn't be able to sail them themselves to visit Jack, even if they _did_ know where he was. How long would she have to wait? Four months? Five? How terrible that their friendship was restricted by the seasons.

Jack must have seen the morose look on her face, for suddenly he grinned and pulled her long hair over her eyes.

"H-hey!"

"Stop looking so down!" he said with a laugh. "Just for you, Rapunzel, I won't leave until tomorrow. I mean, I'm only around on the summer solstice, uh, once in a blue moon? That's the phrase, right?"

She nodded, and smiled shyly as he ruffled her hair, letting it drop.

"The summer spirit doesn't like me much," he said, almost as if sharing some deep, dark secret with her. "So, since we might as well make the most of his terrible attitude, we're going to have to play some serious hide-and-seek today. Can the spot you're taking me help with that?"

"Oh, you bet!" Rapunzel replied with a giggle. "It's perfect, and it's cooler than the forest is. You should feel a little better there, at least."

"_Awesome!"_ Jack laughed and slid to his feet, allowing the wind to carry him up – he must be so light, Rapunzel observed without meaning to, for the wind to be able to do that – and when he held out his hand to help her up, she took it gladly.

"Lead the way, princess," Jack said as his fingers lingered on hers, only for a moment, and then he took a step back in order to properly perform a mock bow. Rapunzel rolled her eyes and scoffed, before she turned and continued down the forest's path.

What a perfect day for good-byes, Rapunzel thought as she glanced up to the blazing sun above. But, no matter what the summer spirit would say, those good-byes would have to wait. For now, there were places to see and games to be played and laughs to be had.

The summer spirit would just have to be patient.

* * *

**Elsa's Notes**: And so begins Jackunzel week... sigh. I've only just finished Day 2. I'll try to update once a day but cut me some slack, you guys. .A. I'll try my hardest though, I promise! Day 2 is actually a LOT longer than this!

Reviews, flames, and all other forms of feedback are welcome!

(**Crystal's Notes: **Hee hee hee hee...I feel so sneaky. xD But I also wanted to SHAMELESSLY PLUG how AWESOME Day 2's piece is that my dear Elsa has written. Look forward to it, because it's a beauty! x3 And I'm not just saying that just to say it and be nice. Ladies and gentleman, I truly, truly love what Elsa has prepared for you next. 8D So I know you will as well. SO FOLLOW. FOLLOW SO THAT YOU'LL KNOW WHEN SHE PUTS IT UP. DO IT. DO IT NAOW. Thank you. 8D)


	2. Legend

**Legend**

Jack stared with wide, curious eyes; could it be? Was it even possible? No, he said to himself—_no. _The only people within this island kingdom were those who had been here from the start. Never, not _once,_ had a mainlander made it through the armada just outside the boundaries.

Yet here she was – so young and so bright and so _wet. _Sopping wet, really, and as if that in and of itself wouldn't have made her stand out, then there was her outfit, and her hair, and her _eyes…_

Her dark brown hair cut short was not only unconventional for his city, but the color was so odd – there was no green, no blue, no white; just… just _brown._ And her eyes, a sparkling green, weren't at all like the pale blues, violets, and reds that were so common among his people. And her outfit – some variant of a warrior, he thought, from what he'd learned of the mainlanders' culture from his tutors. She wore iron that covered her entire chest and shoulders, and though her legs were covered by a skirt, he couldn't be certain that she wasn't protected there as well.

She needed to leave. Before the guards took notice of her.

He cleared his throat as he approached her, but when she spun to meet his eyes, she pounced on the opportunity to speak before he could open his mouth. "Your highness!" she gasped, and curtseyed, her head held low. "How long I've waited to meet you!"

And it was at this point that Jack found himself speechless. He glanced about, saw that there were still (thank the heavens) no guards in sight, and then he turned back to her.

"…What?"

The word left his mouth rather ungracefully, and his father would be ashamed of him; he'd been taught better than that. But Jack was suddenly oh so _curious_ – he'd been told that mainlanders had no knowledge of their culture, so how—?

"…Oh. Um." The young lady frowned and crossed her arms. "Are you _not_ the prince of this beautiful city? I suppose I could be wrong, but, I was so _sure…_"

"No, no." Jack cleared his throat. "You're speaking to him. What, ah – how can I help you, mainlander?"

She must have thought he was some sort of dork, for not being able to keep his sentence flowing as he should. If she did, she made no indication of it; instead, she kept her head bowed and nodded.

"I want to live here," she said, and her eyes were sparkling again with a level of excitement that was foreign to Jack. "I – oh, please, you must let me! I won't dare take a step off of this island again, so long as you grant me just this! I don't care how I'm treated, or if I'm looked at funny, or anything! This place is just so wonderful…"

Jack highly doubted his father would respond well to this. However, there was something _about_ her that intrigued him. He didn't know why she wanted to live in his city, the to-be his kingdom, when the mainland continents seemed so much more full of live and adventure. There was nothing to look forward to when one knew all the citizens by name; there was no chance for surprises.

So, Jack decided, he would let her. He would have to keep her presence hidden from his father, of course, but it would be worth it, if he got to know her just a bit better than he did.

"Very well," he said, and a grin took her face with such sudden ferocity that it startled him. "You can call me Jack, young miss. And may I have your name?"

"Rapunzel," she replied, her feet skipped as if she had the urge to dance, but she stayed in one place.

"Rapunzel, then." Jack laughed and gestured to the city around them. "Welcome to Atlantis."

* * *

It was a week later when his father became aware of the mainlander's presence in his city. Jack had provided a room for her at the castle, giving her a cloak to always wear with the hood up to mask her hair and clothes that his mother had worn before she'd died. As he'd predicted, they were a close match, though Rapunzel had complained often enough that the bust of the dresses were much too loose.

When Jack was summoned to his father's throne, he was unsurprised at his father's anger. He'd neglected his duties more than usual – skipped sessions with tutors, ignored the hours he was meant to be available for public audiences, avoided maids who intended to take new measurements for the outfit that was to be for his coronation. His father had every right to be angry.

What his father did not, however, have the right to be, was _suspicious._

"Are you a traitor, Jack?" he asked, his soft but cold and dark voice piercing the room. His father sat on his throne and did not look at him, but all the guards did.

"No!" Jack snapped, anger seeping through his bones. "What gives you that idea?! Just because she's a _mainlander_—"

"The mainlanders have always had malevolent intentions for us," his father interrupted, and his inattention made Jack's blood boil. "I will allow her to stay for now, but do _not_ become close to her. One mistake, my boy, one slip-up, and I will order her execution. Understand?"

Oh, Jack understood: he understood the prejudices that both his father and the Atlantians had grown up with; he understood that it was not good, not for his image or his father's, for him to be associating with a mainlander; he understood that by "become close," his father meant "consider her for a bride," because the Atlantians would not accept the rule of a foreigner; and he understood that, even after Jack was to take the throne on his eighteenth birthday, his father would always be in control, keeping the strings attached so that Jack would forever be his puppet.

With a curt nod, Jack turned and fled the throne room, withholding any and all comments he would love to spit out at his father. He'd just made Jack look like a fool in front of all of those guards – and rumors would spread within the hour, of that, Jack was sure.

Rapunzel was waiting for him outside the door to his private chambers. Jack blinked, confused, and she laughed and held up a basket.

"It's a wonderful day for a picnic, don't you think?"

Jack hadn't been sure what to think, exactly, other than the whole of the situation was incredibly humorous, and he couldn't hold back the guffaw in his gut.

This woman, _queen?_ She was so light-hearted, so amiable and so innocent, that Jack wouldn't think of it even in his wildest dreams. No, he would need someone much sturdier and of much sterner stuff to rule alongside him.

"A picnic it is."

* * *

Two weeks later, Jack found his opinion had changed. He wasn't sure how or when—only that it had. Rapunzel was no longer just a friend-turned foreigner; she was something _more._

In fact, he didn't even notice the change until she brought _it_ up.

"Jack, is the king – I mean, is your father, um… _hurting_ you?"

"No." He wasn't lying, either; the king had never done anything to him that he hadn't done with the greater good in mind. "Why do you ask?"

"Ah, well…" Rapunzel frowned and toyed with a strand of her hair – a habit Jack had only ever seen take shape in long-haired girls. "I – um – I went by your room last night, and, I-I heard… noises."

Jack shrugged. "Yeah. He was just venting. Something went badly at the council meeting today, and one of the advisors—"

"_Just_ venting?!" Rapunzel's jaw dropped. "Jack, that's abuse, no matter how you word it! He – he was _beating_ you!"

"Better me than any of his advisors." To Jack, it was so simple; why wasn't it so simple to her? "It's fine, Rapunzel, you just don't understand—"

"It is _not_ fine!" she snapped, startling him. "Jack, I know what it's like! I know what it feels like for someone you love and trust to just _use_ you like that! Don't tell me that I _don't understand!_ Come _on,_ Jack, you don't have to take it!"

"Yes, I do." He sighed and his lungs, his eyes, his heart burned. _Finally, someone knew._ "He's the king. If I say anything, he'll denounce me a traitor, and he already has plenty of evidence that he can use for that."

"What… 'evidence?'"

He shook his head; she didn't need to know. "Doesn't matter. There's nothing I can do – not until my coronation in a few months, at least."

She looked at him with such emotion, such empathy, that the tears bristling the corners of his eyes finally began to take his cheeks, burning them as well.

What sort of a woman was she going to become, Jack wondered, when she already was so perfect?

* * *

A week later, she kissed him. Jack supposed she hadn't meant to, but she did all the same.

It had happened in the heat of the moment. They'd been walking through the natural garden of the park near the castle – Jack once again skipping his Atlantian History session, not that she would ever know – and they were talking quietly, conversing of the unique butterflies and botany that Atlantis housed, and then her hand had slipped into his.

At that moment, Jack couldn't have cared less about the butterflies or the flowers. All that mattered was her and him, and the _we_ and the _us_ they wordlessly became.

Her green eyes, shining like the emerald sun, melted into his pale blue, and without a thought as to the consequences, she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him in close to her, and their lips met.

Jack was only too happy to return the gesture – and for that single, pure, unadulterated, uninterrupted moment, the two of them were encased in all the bliss two lovers could ever share.

For only a moment, yet it would feel like a lifetime.

* * *

"You know what this means."

Jack laughed and shook his head, a certain bounce in his step as he came to a rest beside his father's throne. "What _what_ means?" he asked, looking up to the king without fear.

That was a mistake. His father scowled and slammed his fists into the arms of the throne; Jack flinched. "I told you," his father growled, "what would happen if you got too close to her."

Jack's eyes widened, his body tensed, and all bliss evaporated. "What? How-how did you—"

"There were plenty of witnesses to your little… _public display._" His father sneered, and the color drained from Jack's face. "You knew this would come."

"No—" Jack stared at his father, and he was scared – scared of the man who ruled his life, controlled every aspect of how he made himself and expressed himself. The fear spread through his body like gooseflesh.

"Guards, bring the prince's companion." King Pitch grinned a wicked grin, his canines flashing in the brilliant light. "Prepare the executioner's—"

"No."

The word came out with more confidence; it was firm, unyielding, ready to do battle. The king froze, and very, very slowly – with all the viscosity of peanut butter – he returned his gaze to his son.

"What did you just say?" he hissed through grit teeth.

Jack stood taller now – his broad shoulders did not hunch over, his arms stayed relaxed at his side, and he met his father's black-as-coal eyes.

"No," he repeated once more. "If you want to kill her, you'll have to kill me first."

Pitch stared at Jack, and the expression on his face gave Jack the impression that his father was contemplating. Calculating.

"You're serious."

"I am."

"Very well." Pitch chuckled and shook his head. "There are other methods for keeping the bloodline clean, my boy; this is just the tip of the iceberg."

"Oh, is it?" Jack scowled. "Well, I suppose I'll have to be ready for the rest of it."

When Jack turned to leave, his father called out to him once more. "Don't you want to know what I've planned?"

"No," he replied, scowling. "I'm not going to give in. Just know that you have one hell of a battle in front of you."

As Jack left the room, leaving Pitch to his thoughts, the King of Atlantis came to one final conclusion:

With a mainlander as its queen, his city could not be redeemed.

* * *

An hour later, as Jack sat with Rapunzel, both of them wielding swords and pacing the room in an effort to calm their rapid, fluctuating heartbeats, Jack heard the sounds of screams outside.

When he turned to the window, he saw a wall of water beginning to build around the city. What was going on? How was the ocean growing larger and larger? Or—

No. The ocean wasn't growing in height. Atlantis was falling.

This was it, then. His father had decided that the city was worthless without a pure bloodline. He'd decided that he'd rather commit genocide than allow one foreigner to become royalty.

"What—" Rapunzel swallowed, and Jack could hear the panic in her voice. "What's going on?"

"We're going to die," Jack replied, and he couldn't move his eyes as he witnessed the water begin to crash against the ground. With the window closed, and with their added height, they would be safe for just a minute longer.

Only a minute. He had to make it count.

He spun to Rapunzel, wrapped his arms around her waist, and brought her in for a passionate sharing of oxygen. Although she was confused and panicking and afraid of the death that awaited her, she allowed him to – allowed the two of them to join one last time.

"The royal line has this thing we guard," he said hurriedly, the space between the two of them refusing to enlarge or shorten. "It keeps Atlantis afloat—I mean, this island we're on, we _made it._ It's not natural. So something has to keep it from sinking. And Pitch – my father – he just destroyed it."

Rapunzel nodded. "I-I think I understand," she said, and her voice sounded dry – but now it was calm. "So, this… this is the end."

"Our apocalypse," Jack confirmed. "And you came here just in time to participate."

Rapunzel laughed, tears forming in her eyes as the window creaked. The pressure was building, and water was already beginning to leak in through the door. The minute was coming to an end.

"I love you," Jack said, and the window burst, dousing them in water.

"I love you, too," Rapunzel cried back, and she wrapped her hands around his neck; their bodies together floated to the top of the room as it filled with water, and when it became such that they were about to be completely submerged, they inhaled a deep breath and kissed again.

The oxygen they were desperate to share allowed them to live only a moment longer.

So fell the ancient city of Atlantis.

* * *

**Elsa's Notes**: I'm still iffy with the ending adfresdfgdfh but! I simply won't have the time to play with it today, so here you go. The "legend" of how Atlantis fell. Yay? Sorry for the... extremely sudden angst at the end there. I hope you all enjoyed nonetheless?

Also, terribly sorry for disappointing you. Crystal made it sound like some huge epic, but it's really not. So, uh. Yeah. I tried.

Please review!


	3. Make Hay While the Sun Shines

**Make Hay While the Sun Shines**

Rapunzel let out a groan, falling back onto her bed as she clutched the paper to her arms. This wasn't happening, she prayed, closing her eyes for just a moment. When she opened them again, she decided, the results would report something else to her; she'd be ranked third rather than second. She must have just read it wrong the first time.

When she looked at it again, the words still shined back at her, the calligraphy inked delicately into the thick parchment:

_Outstanding Scholarly Achievement Award,_ it read in intricate blood-red lettering.

_Perfect,_ Rapunzel thought bitterly. _Just perfect._

Only the two top scoring students of the eighteen hundred or so that took the test would receive such a prestigious award. She should have felt lucky – her mother had never allowed her to attend school, and now Rapunzel could choose any in the country. With the OSAA in her résumé, not one would be able to refuse her.

She groaned and buried her head into her pillow. Oh, if only she _really_ could—if only she could choose that option without being burdened by guilt…!

"Hey, Punzel, why the long face?"

"Oh, Jack," Rapunzel sighed, not even bothering to look up at the pickpocket. It was no longer a surprise that he was entering her (locked) room without knocking. "I've stolen someone else's opportunity to go to the school of their dreams. It's terrible, absolutely terrible…"

There was a moment of silence—shocked, confused silence, and then at last Jack said, _"What?"_

Rapunzel sniffed as she turned over, holding up the certificate for him to inspect. He snatched it from her hands and read it over, and her ears turned red as she imagined what he would say next.

'_Stupid! Why don't you ever_ think_ before you do this stuff?!' 'Come on, _Rapunzel_, you're so selfish! You knew what your mother would say, and you _still_ reached for the top?' 'I'd take this in a heartbeat, you know, to have this kind of opportunity!'_

"Stupid."

She winced.

"Why don't you ever _enjoy_ this kind of stuff?"

She blinked now, and her gaze shifted from the ceiling to him. Jack was grinning, holding back a laugh, it looked like. Why?

He sighed and shook his head, letting his arms fall and the award drop to the ground. "So what if someone else doesn't get to go?" he asked. "I mean, geez. You _earned_ this, and the scores prove it! Third place can _suck it._"

"_Jack!"_

"What? I'm just saying."

"You _know_ my mother won't let me," Rapunzel said, and her chin fell as she pushed the covers over her eyes. "Even if the government is supposed to help me with financial trouble, or to ensure my safety so that my 'pursuit of knowledge' isn't sabotaged, or whatever. My mother will make me refuse to accept any of it."

Jack cocked an eyebrow and pulled the covers off of her. Rapunzel refused to look at him, clutching her pillow close to her.

"Hey." Jack nudged her gently. "I was informed of a small little tidbit today that you might be interested in hearing. You know the one kid who placed higher than you? Oh, gosh, what was his name… Toothpick? Skipper? Gosh, I know there's a 'P' sound…"

"_Hiccup,"_ Rapunzel corrected, biting back a giggle. "His name is _Hiccup._ His father's a powerful chieftain in the northern lands."

"Right, yeah," Jack said with a nod. "Well, apparently they did some sort of interview with this kid. He's got the highest score that's ever been recorded on that stupid test, you know. And guess what?"

"What?"

"His father's a real asshat or something, and he was totally against the idea of Hiccup becoming educated at _all._ Still is. So, to prove to him that education's worth something, Hiccup's going to go to the world famous University for the Gifted in the capital, double-major in Foreign Relations and Dragonology – _Dragonology!_ – and when he's done, he'll go back home and put what he's learned to good use within the tribe, even if his dad won't let him take over as chieftain."

Rapunzel frowned, and finally she sat up. "Okay. I mean, I'm really glad for him, being able to stand up to his dad. But what does that have to do with me?"

Jack leaned forward and poked her forehead sharply. She yelped. "Ah, hey!"

"I'm telling you, Punzel, to make hay while the sun shines." Jack chuckled. "You said it yourself; the government wants you to grow and learn and is willing to _escort_ you there and pay for all expenses. If Hiccup's going to do it and his father leads a freaking _tribe_, why don't you?"

"…" Rapunzel frowned. "But Jack, my mother—'

"To be honest, I don't much care for what your wannabe-florist maybe-not-mother has to say on the subject. This is about what _you_ want, and no one else."

There was a pause, a moment of thought as Rapunzel's brow crinkled. She chewed the inside of her cheek, turning over and over what Jack had said. Was she really free to do this? Would her mother ever forgive her?

The moment, evidently, became too long for Jack to remain comfortable, as he cleared his throat and said, "By the way, her bouquets really do suck."

"_Jack!"_

"They _do._ Whenever I want to get you some flowers, I have to steal them from somewhere else. Gothel doesn't understand the concept of complimentary colors."

Rapunzel giggled. "Well, I guess I appreciate that, since it's not like we make a lot of money."

Jack grinned, before he laughed and let gravity lead him as he fell onto the bed with a _plop_ next to her. "I promise," he said as he turned to her, and he entwined his fingers in hers; her heart pounded, "I promise that wherever you go, I'll follow. That way you don't have to be alone."

After a moment, Rapunzel laughed, and her fingers echoed the movement of his. "All right," she said, and as she did, it was as if all of her fears, her worries, her anxieties – all of them, vanished, with just two words.

The thought of informing her mother still terrified her, but as long as Jack stood at her side, she didn't need to think about it. She didn't know where Jack would stay or how he would get by – probably by pickpocketing, as he usually did, but how would he get enough money to stay off the streets? – but none of it mattered. It would all resolve itself.

Right now it was just him, her, and the possibility of the future.

And it was wonderful.

* * *

**Elsa's Note**: I like this one. c: I think it's cute. But then again maybe that's just my ego talking. (sobs) I'm a terrible judge of my own writing.

P-please read and review...?


	4. Vestige

**Vestige**

Jack let out a cry of frustration and threw his wand against the wall. He was shaking, his entire body pulsing in anger, and tears blurred his eyes as he stared at the spellbook in front of him.

He hated this.

"Jack..."

He _hated_ this.

"Leave me alone," he said through gritted teeth, his head bowed so as not to draw attention to his silent cries. He could hear them judging him, pitying him. He didn't want that, didn't _need_ that.

Hiccup, with downcast eyes, took Merida by her wrist and pulled her out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts room; she never took her wide, solemn eyes off of him. The professor had left to give them some privacy, but now stood in the doorway to her office, watching them.

"Jack," said Gothel, "would you like me to—"

"_No,"_ Jack said, without looking up. "Leave me _alone!"_

It had been like this ever since _it._ Ever since the incident in the Forbidden Forest, they'd changed the way they acted around him. They were all on their tiptoes around him, never thought he might enjoy a joke, always willing to help no matter the circumstance.

He knew they just meant to help — they were good people, after all. But their misguided efforts only served to remind Jack of everything: how much _he'd_ changed, with his white hair, icy eyes, corpse-pale skin; how there was no hope of ever returning to who he once was; an the fearsome nightmare that plagued him not only that one evening, but again and again, over and over in what used to be his dreams.

It wasn't _his fault,_ he wanted to scream. It wasn't _his fault_ that he was a screwup now, unable to perform even the most minor of spells. It wasn't _his fault_ that he was still affected by that night, though it had been weeks and maybe even months. Why did they still try to...?

"Jack."

His head shot up, tears still running down his face. Rapunzel had yet to leave—she stood in front of him, on the opposite side of the desk, frowning.

"Jack, pull yourself together. We're going to work out the Patronus, and we're going to do it before the day's end."

"_What?"_ What was wrong with her?! Jack tore his eyes away from her — he couldn't meet that determined gaze. "Punzel, you know that I _can't_—"

"I know you _can,_" she replied, and the frown on her face transformed into a scowl. "You're feeling sorry for yourself, and it needs to stop."

Jack gritted his teeth. "That's easy for _you_ to say, now, isn't it? You're a _Ravenclaw._ You got it on the first try!"

"I _did not!"_ Rapunzel crossed her arms. "You're being ridiculous, Jack; it's fairly simple. You have happy memories, don't you?"

"Well, yes, but—"

"Then it shouldn't be that difficult. Take a deep breath and just pick o—"

Jack screamed. It wasn't a high-pitched scream, one of fear or remorse. He screamed with all the anger and frustration and self-loathing he could muster, desperate to get it out of his body. Despite all that he put into it, it lasted all of two seconds and nothing more; Rapunzel, stunned and teary-eyed, could not move her gaze from him, and Gothel stood again in the doorway, a silent and solitary omen.

"Jack," Rapunzel started.

"I'm not _like you,_ Rapunzel, okay?" Jack tore his eyes from her again; her heartbroken look shook him. "I'm not strong. I can't pick myself up in a heartbeat. _Yes,_ I have happy memories — but it's like I'm only remembering when I remembered them. Like... they're only vestiges of what they used to be. Before..."

Jack swallowed and could not continue; Rapunzel shuddered, and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I am. I just—I just want to help you. I just don't know _how_, and I thought, maybe like this, you would... it wouldn't bother you as much if I was a distraction or something..."

Jack shook his head. "It's fine," he said, his throat raw. "It's fine."

Rapunzel's hands shook as she wrapped an arm around him, sliding from the other side of the desk to sit next to him. "I wish I could help you stop hurting," she said, and she sniffed. "But I can't."

Jack wasn't able to smile at her, no matter how much he tried. It was hard, and he could feel the effort radiating from himself in huge, crushing waves. "I..."

He leaned into the crook of her neck, allowing her to cradle him, and with all the gentility of a mother she rocked him and sang softly into his ear. For whatever reason, it calmed him, even though he knew that when he came back to reality, he would still have to face his problems.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Jack flinched, his heartbeat sped up, his eyes snapped open and his posture shot upward. In front of them was the potions professor, Pitch Black.

_Oh, no._

Ever since the incident — that goddamned _incident_ — Black had made Jack nervous. Scared, frightened. With only walking, Jack was forced to recall vivid images from that night, and when he was talking—

When he was _near—_

"Oh, Pitch!" Gothel laughed, drawing Black's attention. "Come into my office, if you would; let's leave these two dearies alone."

Black glanced back at Jack, and the smirk that was on his face for only a moment was enough to shake him, before Black obliged Gothel, and the two left the room, the door shutting behind them.

"..." Rapunzel ran a hand through Jack's hair, and she whispered, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah." Jack nodded, and he stood. "I'm fine. Let's—I'll grab my wand, so let's hang out in the Great Hall, okay? Maybe Hiccup and Merida are there, too."

"It's getting late," Rapunzel replied, glancing to the stars just beyond the windows. "I think they're probably in their respective common rooms. Do you want me to walk with you to Slytherin's?"

"No, don't." Jack knew she'd be bullied by other Slytherins for at least a week if she was seen anywhere near the common room, and Jack would, as well, for allowing a Ravenclaw to do so. "I guess I'll stick around a moment longer and... calm down. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you." Rapunzel stood on tiptoe and gave Jack a peck on the cheek, to which he flushed, but before he could do the same to her, she was gone, spellbook in her hands and her steps hurried.

Jack almost laughed. She was so cute. They were dating, so there was no need to be so shy, yet she still was. He made a note to mention it to her as he retrieved his wand from the spot it had landed.

Gothel's office door opened, and Jack fled. He didn't stop to see if Black was leaving with her, or if Black was looking at him; he raced out, determined not to face him — especially _alone_.

Tomorrow, he'd try the Patronus again, he decided. He didn't care anymore what was holding him back; he was going to overcome it. Whether it took him days or weeks or months.

He would prove to all of them that the incident did not leave him _weak._

* * *

**Elsa's Note**: Aha. 8D; I understand if this one requires a bit of explaining. So allow me!

I combined two different Harry Potter AUs, specifically the ones of the-potter-kids and magicalbigfour on tumblr. One involved Jack arriving at Hogwarts with brown hair and eyes, but Pitch, a shape-shifter who wishes to murder all muggle-born wizards, baits Jack out into the Forbidden Forest with his sister's voice. Pitch tries to drain all the life out of Jack, resulting in his white hair and blue eyes, but before he can do it completely, the other three of the quartet show up and drive Pitch back.

However, in the other, Pitch was the potions professor at Hogwarts, and Jack had trouble with making a Patronus while Rapunzel is the most adept. However, in this, it's because Jack has PTSD (or some form of it) rather than simply having trouble remembering the happy things. Which I don't blame him for anyway. The reason Jack doesn't recognize Pitch here as his assaulter is because Pitch, as mentioned above, is a shape-shifter.

Sorry long author's note! Thank you for reading I love you please review thanksss~!


	5. It Takes Two to Tango

_Pre-chapter author's note: This oneshot is dedicated solely to shoujo anime. You go, shoujo anime. Always stay shoujo anime, for all the rest of us shoujo anime._

**It Takes Two to Tango**

"Go, Heartbeam Love Pink Rescue Wave!" Merida cried with a wave of her pink, frilly, magic wand. A pink beam of hearts shot out in waves, successfully rescuing and reinstating the young couple's love.

Merida wiped her brow as she touched the ground again, her pink, frilly dress magically transforming into the t-shirt and jeans she'd been wearing a moment before.

'God,' she thought as she slid her wand into her backpack. 'That was close.'

Ever since she'd started school, this 'extracurricular' was running into a lot of 'close calls.' She made a note to ask Angus about it later; was there a new enemy about threatening the love two individuals shared at the deepest parts of their cores?

...Good lord. She sounded like Rapunzel. She _really_ needed a new hobby.

When Merida was home and in her room, tucked under her covers as she prepared to begin her assigned reading – _Heart of Darkness,_ which she found to be oddly fitting, given her situation – Angus appeared at her headboard in a small flash of light.

"Ah, so ye've decided to show yerself, have ye?" Merida asked, sitting up.

Angus rolled his eyes as he fluttered his pegasus wings. "Not that accent again, Merida, I told you, my parents were only Irish on their—"

"Ye've got some explaining to do, ye terrible, lying equine."

… Angus huffed and clopped one hoof against the headboard. "I'm afraid not; this time of the year is simply busier than most. But I should warn you of something, Merida."

"_Warn_ me?" She chuckled and shook her head. "Of _what,_ exactly?"

"These months can be very stressful for everyone, and that does not exclude your friends. You may have to deal with them, as well."

Merida let out a sharp burst of laughter. "Right!" she snorted. "Hiccup's as unromantic as they come, no way he's getting a girlfriend, and Jack and Rapunzel have been smooth sailing from the start. What could _possibly_—"

As if on cue, her cell phone buzzed. She shared a glance with Angus (to which he responded with a snort the equivalent of 'I told you so'), before she snatched it up and selected 'View New Message.'

'_I need your advice. Call me when you get this.'_

Merida furrowed her brow; what was going on—no, no; maybe it wasn't about Jack. Maybe it was something homework or family-related.

'_Please_ be family-related.'

_Brr. Brr. Click._ "Rapunzel, are you okay?"

"Y-yeah." Rapunzel sniffed, and Merida could hear her holding back sobs. "I mean… No. Not—not really."

Merida swallowed, and a thickness settled into her throat. "Punzie, tell me what happened."

"W-well, um…" Rapunzel hiccuped. "Jack, he…"

Merida pressed her free hand against her forehead. _Damn it._

"He saw me and Eugene and, um, he totally flipped out. Got the wrong idea. Eugene tried to defend me, but uh, it just made Jack even angrier."

Rapunzel was struggling; her voice came out a piano and decrescendoed from there. The quiver in it grew the longer she went on.

"Well, Jack's an ass."

"_Merida!_"

"What? I'm just saying."

"You're not helping! I-I don't know what to do or what to say to calm him down!"

"Okay, okay." Merida took a deep breath. "How about, just… telling him you need to talk? Then you can tell him the truth of the matter, and maybe he'll be willing to listen."

It was weird, Merida thought; Jack didn't strike her as the jealous type. This was bad, really bad if it meant what she thought it did, and Angus's expression confirmed it.

Someone was messing with love and its true path, but who?—_(God, she needed to _stop_!)_—They'd already conquered Cupid...

"I-I don't know." Rapunzel sniffed again. "Do you think that would work?"

"It's worth a try." Merida would give them a chance to patch themselves up; Jack, by nature, was reasonable. From what Merida had seen, he would accept her apology if he was given time to cool down. But if he didn't…

She would have some work to do.

"O-okay. I'll try it." Rapunzel took a deep breath. "And if that doesn't work…?"

Merida laughed breathily, hiding her own anxiety. "Don't worry about that. If it doesn't, I'll take care of it."

She hadn't intended to make that promise; it was something she might not be able to uphold, but her sororital instincts had taken over. She winced as she heard Rapunzel consider it.

"…All right, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow, then."

And she hung up. Merida released a breath she hadn't realized she was keeping captive. Damn it all.

_Damn it!_

* * *

It didn't work. Merida could tell when she walked into school and Rapunzel sat with her head in her hands, and Jack stood on the other side of the room, his arms crossed, fuming in silence.

Merida approached Jack first, and she smiled at him warily. "Hey," she said, smiling in what she hoped was ignorance. "How are you and Rapunzel doing?"

"Fine." Merida's heart fell; Jack was avoiding the subject. Things were worse than she could have even imagined. "And you and Hiccup?"

"Wh—" Merida's face flushed, and Jack smirked. "Hiccup and I haven't even—we're not—_Jack!"_

Jack laughed, amused by her expression far more than he should have been; he covered his grin with his hand, as if embarrassed by it. "You're too easy to mess with."

Then he left, shaking his head, and Merida sighed. She might have to miss school today in order to save their love in time.

… She _really._ Needed to stop.

The wand in Merida's backpack was calling to her, demanding that she take it up and use it to restore Jack and Rapunzel to what they used to be; but something stopped her.

It wasn't just that she didn't want to get involved – it felt wrong to do so when she was so close to them. It was that, during her final period of the day, the wand was vibrating like crazy. Merida excused herself to the bathroom, knowing it looked like she was going to text, then raced out of the building nonetheless.

"Magic Heart, Transform!" she cried as she breached the doors to the outside; as she ran, her wand held firmly in her hand, the magic began to work: a heart surrounded her in a beam of magic light, and it transformed her outfit from one of an ordinary girl to one of a fairytale heroine – pink (lots of pink, in varying shades), ribbons, frills, bows, a fuchsia headband that was adorned in jewels of all sorts, knee-length boots that covered most of the skin that her short sailor-style skirt did not.

The wand led her to the park, where she found a middle-aged woman with long, curly black hair, gazing at a couple sitting on a bench not too far from her. The blonde of the couple stood, his expression angry, as did the redhead, whose eyes matched his.

Merida's instincts told her everything that she needed to know. She jumped, landing directly in front of the woman; she let out a startled yelp, her concentration shattered.

"You'll regret this, you old hag," Merida swore, and raised her wand. "Heartbeam Pink Love Rescue Wave!"

A beam of pink hearts shot from the wand in waves, touching each man of the couple in their heads and their hearts. In moments, their anger faded, and their love was rescued: they exited the park hand in hand, oblivious to the danger they'd been in.

Now Merida spun on the woman, who stared at her with an agape mouth. "What the bloody hell is _wrong_ with you?!" Merida demanded, shaking. "Do you know what you've been _doing?!"_

"Yes, I do." The heartless woman raised a brow. "I'm going to rid the world of love so that my dear Rapunzel will never feel the urge to find it; so that she will stay by my side forever. And _you_ – you miserable little troll – you're _ruining_ my plan!"

"Damn right I am!" Merida scowled. "You can't just stop true love, you moron!"

The woman froze.

"What."

"_True love!_ You ninny! No matter what you do, you can't stop true love when it's barreling downhill! And it's so rare in the world today that if you take it away, it won't just be _Rapunzel_ that's affected by it!" Merida huffed. "And if you don't understand that, well, I'll _make you!_"

"What—" The woman gasped. "No—wait! _Don't!"_

"I'm afraid I have to. It's for your own good." Merida held her wand up once more. "Heart Purify Special Wonder Whip!"

A magic pink whip extended from Merida's wand, truly a special occasion for she rarely had the opportunity to use this move; it snatched at the woman's chest, reaching in and touching her heart, purifying it as she screamed in protest.

"No!" The woman cried, grasping at the whip, but to no avail. When Merida yanked it back, the woman let out one final scream, and fell to the ground.

Merida turned, and with a poof of magic pink light, her outfit returned to normal. She was done here. Jack and Rapunzel should return to normal now that their adversary had been defeated.

She did not notice, as she slipped her wand back into her backpack, that at the edge of the park, stood someone who she would have preferred not to see her like this.

Hiccup stiffened when he saw her preparing to leave, and made for his house. He could not face her now—the information was still juggling in his head, straining to be processed, his curiosity intrigued but his intelligence denying it—but he was certain of one thing:

This would not be the end of it.

* * *

When Merida arrived at school the next day, she was disheartened to see that Jack and Rapunzel were still at odds. Hiccup sat between them, looking awkward, but he immediately brightened when he saw her.

Merida to the rescue!

"Oi." Merida put her hands on her hips. "You two, turn to each other—Hiccup, _move,_ wouldja?"

"But—" All three of them started at once, until Hiccup got up and fled behind Merida. She smirked as Jack and Rapunzel faced each other, looking grim.

"Punzie, you first. Apologize, then tell Jack why he's in the wrong."

Jack looked at her sharply. "Hey!"

"Hush, Jackie, you'll get your turn. If you would, Punzie?"

Rapunzel glanced at Merida then at Jack, then shook her head in silence. Merida blinked. "Eh? Why not?"

"I—" Rapunzel took a deep breath. "I don't know what I'm apologizing for."

Jack stared at her, mouth agape and the tension palpable, building to a climax—

"You've _got_ to be kidding me!" He was shaking, his fingers coiled into a fist, and Rapunzel winced. "Listen, _Rapunzel,_ I like you a lot—but flirting with Eugene while I'm not around is _not_ okay!"

"I wasn't _flirting_ with him!" Rapunzel snapped back. "Jack, I _can_ talk to other guys when you're not—"

"_Talk?_ You think I'd be this upset if it had been just _talk?_" Jack gritted his teeth. "Letting him play with your hair, hold you hand, buy you a meal, serenade you—that doesn't sound like _just talk_ to me!"

Rapunzel stared at him, before her eyes fell to the ground. "I-I guess not," she whispered. "I'm sorry, Jack. I wasn't really aware that he was flirting with me, so from now on I'll be more careful." Then she frowned and picked her head up, her firm gaze meeting his. "But you know—you didn't even give me a chance to explain myself! You just got mad and started yelling at me right away!"

Jack stuttered for a moment, his face red. Merida groaned and rolled her eyes. "C'mon, Jack," she said, irritation evident in her voice. "It takes two to tango, y'know!"

"Hey," Hiccup interrupted, eyeing her through his peripherals. "Do you even know what that expression means?"

"Shut it."

After a moment, Jack released a heartfelt sigh. "You're right, Punzie." Rapunzel grinned at the nickname, and he smiled back with a crinkle in his brow. "I'm sorry; I should've given you the benefit of the doubt. Can you forgive me?"

"Of _course!"_ she cried, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him into a warm embrace. "So long as you can forgive me, too!"

Jack laughed and ruffled her hair, kissing her forehead. "Of course I can," he murmured, and the love in his eyes made Merida's heart soar. "Gosh, we're such goofs."

"Yeah," Rapunzel replied, giggling. "But we're each other's goofs, right?"

"You gotcha," Jack said, and he kissed her. Merida covered her grin with both of her hands as Rapunzel returned it.

"So, um." Jack pulled away for a moment, clearing his throat. "When can I meet your mom?"

"Oh, right!" Rapunzel laughed. "My mom started acting weird last night. But uh, after I make sure she's not sick and that her new attitude's here to stay, you _totally_ can. Wait till the weekend, all right?"

"All right, sounds good." Merida was withholding cheers of joy now. At last, at last! Everything was normal and love was in the air, and she wouldn't have to worry anymore.

Ah… Life was good.

* * *

It was lunchtime when Merida realized something was wrong. Her face grew pale and her eyes wide, and she dug into her backpack, searching for it.

Angus was going to rip her _heart_ from her _chest!_ How the hell didn't she notice that it was gone?! Who could have taken it? Who could have known?

If someone had taken it… If someone knew who or what she was… Her mission was over. Done with. Ended. _Fini._

And so was she.

"Hey, Merida. You looking for something?"

Her head shot up to see Hiccup – scrawny, hardly scary, conflicted-looking Hiccup – and she almost laughed at him, because thank _god,_ she could use him to help her find it without actually telling him what it was.

Then she noticed the wand in his hand.

The wand in his hand.

The wand. In his hand.

The wand.

The _wand!_

* * *

**Elsa's Note**: ...My pretties. ;A; I must apologize for not posting this earlier in the day. I know that for some of you it is already day six, but I simply did _not_ have time to work on this yesterday. I tried my best, and at least I got it done today! Right? ...Right?

Day six's work won't be posted until later in the day, but at least not as late as today's was. My most sincere apologies for my tardiness. Please review nonetheless? .A.


	6. Safe-Haven

**Safe-Haven**

"Wait, Jack—where are we going?"

"You'll see," Jack replied with a small smile, trying to be reassuring, his staff resting against the crook of his neck as he led the way. Rapunzel frowned, but she said nothing; her hand was still wrapped in his, and his head was still whirling with what had happened.

Gothel had turned on them. Gothel was the villain now. Gothel had turned a few bounty hunters on them, in her efforts to make Rapunzel hers again. Jack himself was shocked – because Rapunzel, with her golden, flowing locks, demanded a knife with which to cut it, a demand that Jack refused to meet; not because he did not want her to be safe, but because he could tell she was so emotional, tears still streaming down her face, tears that he could not freeze, and she would regret losing such a valuable ability later in life.

After everything was settled down. After Gothel really _was_ done with, and Rapunzel never had to answer to such a horrid woman again. After Rapunzel had reclaimed her throne. Only then would Jack bestow upon her the weapon she desired. Only once everything was okay again.

But now, as they twisted and turned through the forest, Jack saw the town of Burgess to their right. Such a quaint town, he thought, and he grinned as he saw the children rushing, chasing snowflakes. Such beauty.

Rapunzel followed his gaze, and he thought he saw her tears dry—but she sniffed, and he decided not to mention it. It was hard, he knew, when someone you trusted and loved turned on you like that. To discover that you had been used your entire life… He couldn't imagine it.

_Well,_ he amended as he glanced up at the moon, _I suppose I don't need to._

The Man in the Moon was silent as ever, matching his hurt look with a stern one of his own. Jack gritted his teeth and looked back to the path, making sure he was headed the right way. Not that he needed to; with the wind at his side, it guided him as it would a lost child.

(Thankfully, lost children had a special talent of _not_ winding up at his pond, partly due to the wind. But whenever they did, Jack almost had a heart attack, and he struggled to lead them away from the frozen water, though he did not know precisely why; just as he did not know precisely why he obsessed so often over the thickness of his pond, making sure every square inch was strong enough to hold even adults.)

When they arrived, Jack let out a small laugh, falling onto his derrière in the snow. "This is it," he said, gesturing to his home. "You asked a while ago where I lived. Here it is, in all its wintry glory."

Rapunzel was silent, before she took a seat next to him—she needed shoes, Jack realized, her loose feet would get her frostbite—but if the cold bothered her, she did not bring it up.

After a chilling moment, she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thank you," she whispered, and he dropped his staff to the ground so that it would not get in their way.

"Of course," he replied, and he wrapped an arm around her, giving her a gentle squeeze. "Any time you need a place to feel safe, I'll bring you here, okay? Granted, next time we'll stop to get some winter apparel…"

She laughed and shook her head, grinning. "Yeah. That-that sounds good."

Her teeth were chattering now, and Jack made to stand. "Hey, I'll go get you some right now," he said. "Burgess isn't that far from here. It'll only take me a minute."

On cue, she let out a small sneeze. _Adorable_, he thought without meaning to, and he might have flushed in embarrassment if he were human. "Okay," she said, smiling at him. "T-thanks."

Jack grins and ruffles her hair. "Be right back," he says, and he's gone with the wind.

He's glad, far gladder than perhaps he should be, that Rapunzel does indeed feel safe at his pond. If she hadn't, Jack wouldn't have known what to do, how to calm her down. He knows that this doesn't really _solve_ anything, but he knows that with clearer heads, they can find the solution.

First, though, came the shoes.

* * *

**Elsa's Note**: Day 6 is UP! Whoo! (/dances) I'm so glad you guys haha I could cry! ;A; Sorry for this one being so short, but I wanted to keep it fluffy. (It totally has nothing to do with the fact I have AP exams this week. Nope.) Thank you all for staying with me this far!

_One more day!_


	7. It is Better to Have Loved and Lost

**It's Better to Have Loved and Lost than to Never Have Loved At All**

Eugene didn't like Jack at first. This was largely due to the fact that he didn't believe in Jack Frost until Rapunzel spoke him as though he were real. Eugene had come to the conclusion that it was _Jack_ who was responsible for all the nights Eugene had spent out in the freezing cold and nearly died of frostbite.

(To be fair, the Winter Spirit had been sympathetic enough, but Eugene had still found it hard to forgive him.)

When Eugene took a step back, though, and realized his feelings for Rapunzel—how much he cared for her, how he was willing to _die_ for her—he also became aware of another disconcerting fact:

Jack felt the same way about her. Whether he knew it or not, Jack was in love.

Now, Eugene didn't fancy himself Cupid, so he might have been reading Jack wrong. But as Eugene watched the way Jack looked at her and stood near her and as he examined the subtle touches they exchanged, it seemed pretty likely that that was not the case.

It made Eugene angry to an unreasonable extent. How _dare_ he have feelings for the woman that _Eugene_ saved. How _dare_ he!

…But then Eugene started to notice Rapunzel returning not his own adorations, but _Jack's._

For a moment, it hadn't struck him as fair. Eugene had done so much for her—hell, without him, she'd still be stuck in that stupid tower! She'd never have known she was a princess if it wasn't for him!

But thinking like that wasn't fair to her. She didn't owe him her affections, she wasn't an object to be won by chivalry or rescue. So instead of getting upset with her, Eugene decided that he could spend that energy doing more productive things.

Like fancying himself Cupid.

Eugene summoned forth all those who could help him in his quest: the King and Queen, Rapunzel's six-year-old brother (who was smarter than he looked, to his credit), the famous Braiding Sisters he'd met in the plaza, Maximus, and even some members of the "Dream Team," as he liked to call them. And then the games began.

Jack fell all over himself when Maximus dragged him to the rendezvous point; Rapunzel, with her hair in a positively adorable braid and being led by her little brother, was much more compliant. The King and Queen had done their part in making sure the plaza was empty that day, and Hook Hand and a few of the others played variations of smooth jazz and popular dance tunes.

Eugene couldn't withhold a huge grin when Jack stepped up to the plate; when Jack, who cleared his throat and gave a sweeping bow with such purposeful lack of grace that Rapunzel giggled, ended the moment of awkward silence between them. Eugene couldn't have been more proud of the boy.

And then they kissed – naïve and nervous, yes, but a _kiss_ nonetheless – Eugene let out a cheer that caused the couple to yelp and pull apart, both their faces red.

It didn't matter. Eugene was certain that they'd be engaged by the end of the month. All they'd needed was the right push to bring their relationship into full blossom.

It wasn't that Eugene had given up on Rapunzel—just that he'd wanted to see her happy. He couldn't do that, not like Jack could, and it was on that note that he quietly conceded defeat.

After all, he thought to himself with a chuckle, it was better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all.

_~fin_

* * *

I decided to end this on a sweet note, because I know that while a lot of people are writing about Jack losing Punzie to Eugene or Jack dying or something like that, that's all rather sad. Here's a sweetie to cheer you up.

But alas, it is with this final oneshot that I bid you all adieu. Hopefully I shall see the rest of you for Mericcup week. Until tomorrow, then, I shall hang my hat.

**~Elsa**


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